Most Americans have strong feelings about gun control, whether in favor of more or less. Legislation has even been passed restricting physicians from discussing guns with patients. What is your opinion about healthcare professionals discussing safekeeping of guns in the home?
Gun ownership and regulation is a very emotional issue in the U.S. and there has been strong reaction to whether physicians and other healthcare providers should be involved in doing more to curb gun related injuries and deaths. I would like to hear some of your opinions regarding physician involvement, but first let's look at some of the gun statistics in the U.S.
More than 108,000 people are shot per year in murders, assaults, suicides, suicide attempts, unintentional shootings or by police intervention.
* More than 32,000 of them die.
* The U.S. has the most gun homicides of any developed nation. 29.7 per 100,000.
* Everyday 297 people are shot.
* 89 people die.
* 31 of them are murdered.
* 55 are suicides.
* 2 are killed unintentionally.
* 1 is killed by police.
* 1 is unknown intent.
* One in five deaths are people ages 15-29.
Over 17,000 American children and teens are injured or killed each year due to gun violence.
* 2,677 of those children die.
* Nearly 48 youth are shot per day including 7 fatalities.
* 5 are murdered and 2 are suicides.
1 in 3 homes with children have guns.
* 42% of parents with guns keep at least one unlocked.
* 25% of parents with guns keep at least loaded.
* 3 in 4 children know where firearms are kept in the home.
(Statistics; bradycampaign.org).
It has been suggested that clinicians could play a major role in reducing children's access to guns by asking if there is a gun in the home, and if so, counseling on firearm storage practices. One study showed that patients who received counseling on firearm storage were more likely to make a change in storage practice than patients who did not receive counseling. (64% vs 33%). (J Am Board Fam.Pract).
Pediatrician's offices and hospitals routinely give out infant and car seats, would it also be appropriate to distribute trigger locks and lockboxes? Firearm related injuries are a public health issue, so should there be public health initiatives regarding firearms such as there have been for reducing tobacco, toy and motor vehicle related deaths?
We're still gonna ask the question - if a parent gets upset about it, well that tells us something, too.
What does it tell you? And what would you do about it?
I'm frankly struck by the fact that no one who has objected to the question has mentioned firearms safety training for children. An interesting show of priorities.
Nobody mentioned it because it wasn't in the scope of this thread. However, you are now saying it should have been and haranguing people for not talking about it?
Firearms safety training for children is a great idea. I think that all kids should be educated about firearms to the extent that they could safely recognize, handle, and safety/unload a gun so that if they encountered one it would not have to be left for an uneducated younger child to find while they went off to report it. I think that is achievable.
I also think kids with their parents permission should have access to an actual firearm and safety class with air rifles or .22s through school. I think it would make kids safer and demystify and remove the special aura that Hollywood has given guns. I also think that would be politically unpopular in most schools and probably we could spend money better in most districts.
If you can afford a gun, spring for a safe. Good lord.
Excuse me if I am incorrect, but wouldn't a simple metal lock box to store an unloaded gun suffice? That's what my mom uses for her 2 hand guns. She also has this thing that looks like a bicycle lock that prevents the gun from being loaded while it's in place. Obviously you'd need something bigger (like an actual safe) for rifles and such.
In my opinion, if you can afford a gun, you can afford a gun safe/lock box.
I'm frankly struck by the fact that no one who has objected to the question has mentioned firearms safety training for children. An interesting show of priorities.
I did 2 things for my own kid... first, I used the "Eddie the Eagle" program from the NRA. Amazingly enough, it does get the message across and the rules are very simple. Second, (and this continues still) I make any and all of my firearms available upon request. No questions asked. If she wants to see or handle any of my firearms, I will allow her to do so, under proper supervision. Third, we go out shooting from time to time. She has fun at the range, again, under supervision, and she learns first-hand that firearms do NOT do anything until/unless someone uses it. Because my firearms are absolutely non-interesting, there's no fascination. She also learns that there are other uses for firearms that are actually fun and not harmful to anyone.
If I had a son, he'd be treated exactly the same way. Many of my friends that have guns and sons have done the same basic stuff I've done and their sons have no fascination about guns and know what guns can do and can be used for.
Because if this thread has taught us anything it's that people who own guns are terribly paranoid
Very odd comment. I actually find the people who are paranoid about guns to be the people who have never been around them.
To me they are just a tool, grew up hunting and fishing and was give a 20 gauge shot gun at age 13, kinda like a rite of passage. Hunting ducks and doves during the fall and winter was part of life and something good for a teenager to do, much better than kids now of days sitting in their bedroom afraid of society playing video games and doing social media.
Specializes in Pediatrics/Developmental Pediatrics/Research/psych.
I ask all my outpatients if they have guns in their home... but I work psych, so it's usually in the context of asking if there's someone who could hold onto them for the patient until we get suicidal ideation under control.
I too work in psych, and have worked as a school nurse. I regularly ask about guns and other weapons. For those who are interested, there is a free online training on Counseling on Access to Lethal Means available at sprc.org
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
OK, 2nd amendment. Which regulated militia do you belong to?
Isn't this amendment the foundation for a state guard, with homeowners having their own weapons?
Amendment II
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Well , if you wish to call it a militia, The USA citizen one that believes in the constitution of USA..... But really the melitia I really belong to is the RN cattle rancher, protecting my livestock from predators ....which costs me $1000's each year in loss of 100% grass fed beef......
Because if this thread has taught us anything it's that people who own guns are terribly paranoid
Yes, much more so than most of the chronically mentally ill individuals I've encountered over my career. Only a very few of them were actually concerned about the government coming for them ...
SummitRN, BSN, RN
2 Articles; 1,567 Posts
What does it tell you? And what would you do about it?
Nobody mentioned it because it wasn't in the scope of this thread. However, you are now saying it should have been and haranguing people for not talking about it?
Firearms safety training for children is a great idea. I think that all kids should be educated about firearms to the extent that they could safely recognize, handle, and safety/unload a gun so that if they encountered one it would not have to be left for an uneducated younger child to find while they went off to report it. I think that is achievable.
I also think kids with their parents permission should have access to an actual firearm and safety class with air rifles or .22s through school. I think it would make kids safer and demystify and remove the special aura that Hollywood has given guns. I also think that would be politically unpopular in most schools and probably we could spend money better in most districts.